Stage-scenery apparatus.



F. W. EOOHSTETTER.

STAGE SOENERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1912. Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,\v.\summo 1 n. c.

UMTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

FREDERICK W. HOCHSTETTEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO H. P. PATENTS AND PROCESSES COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STAGE-SCENERY APPARATUS.

Application filed December 7, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDEIHCK W. Hoorr srn'rrnn, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stage-Scenery Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a class of apparatus adapted for use in rendering public entertainments.

My invention has for its object primarily to provide a form of apparatus designed to be employed in the staging of theatrical productions, or other public exhibitions, and by the use of which a desired number of separate scenes may be consecutively displayed without requiring the employment of scenic drop curtains, or wing scenery for each scene as is incident to methods at present in use. This is accomplished mainly by providing a stage scenery apparatus wherein is employed a number of adjustable and revoluble elongated sections, or pillars of square or other preferred angular shapes to provide a plurality of corresponding faces so that when alined the collective faces will form a wall to serve as a curtain, or wing, and upon each wall is painted a distinct scene, thus enabling a variety of scenes to be produced upon each series of the sections so as to be conveniently arranged for display during the rendering of the entertainment as well as lessening the cost of transportation and handling of scenery.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means adapted to be operated for relatively spacing the sections apart; and a further object of the invention is to provide manually operative means which serves to simultaneously rotate the sections so as to shift the scenes from one to another.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

Serial No. 735,456.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and part in section, of one form of stage scenery apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view, partly broken away, of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan, partly fragmentary, of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail top plan of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan, partly in section, of one of the wheels employed in the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line IIII of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 illustrates various shapes of the curtain sections which may be used in my improved apparatus.

The stage scenery apparatus has a vertically disposed frame 10 composed preferably of two transversely disposed guides 11 and 12, one of which is spaced at a suitable distance above the other. Each of the guides 11 and 12 may be in the form of a channel bar, or each may consist of two alined spaced inverted L-shaped bars so as to provide a groove 13 longitudinally therein. The ends of the guides, or bars 11 and 12 are supported by two brackets 14: and 15, and each of said brackets is constructed preferably of two spaced vertical standards, as 16 and 16, the top and lower parts of each of which are connected by cross-bars 17 and 17, respectively.

Mounted in the frame 10 are a plurality of adjustable and revoluble vertically disposed elongated sections, or pillars, as 18, all of which are alike in formation, and said sections may be of any preferred length and may be rectangular, triangular, square, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other polygonal shape in cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 7, whereby a plurality of corresponding faces 19 are provided so that when the sections are in alined abutting arrangement in the frame the collective corresponding faces thereof will form a wall as the sections are preferably constructed so that the faces 19 will be of canvas, wood, sheet metal, or other light-weight material. In Figs. 1, 3, 4; of the drawing I show a series of square sections which obviously will permit four walls to be produced when the sections are adjusted and rotated collectively in consecutive order, as will be hereinafter more fully explained, and these Walls serve as curtains by painting thereon the scenes which are appropriate for the staging of the production. Projecting from the center of the ends of each of the sections, or pillars 18 are studs, or shafts 20 and 21, and upon each of said studs is a freely rotatable roller, or small Wheel 22 and 23. The rollers 22 of the studs 20 are revolubly disposed in the groove 13 of the guide, or channel bar 11, and the rollers 23 of the studs 21 are revolubly disposed in the groove 13 of the guide, or channel bar 12, in order to permit the sections, or pillars 18 to be rotated.

Serving as a means to permit the sections, or pillars 18 to be manually adjusted and then rotated simultaneously for shifting the scenes from one to another, at one end of the frame 10 is a vertically disposed shaft 24 which is journaled in bearings provided at the lower and upper parts of the frame. Upon the lower portion of the shaft 24 is held a bevel gear 27, and in mesh with said gear is a second bevel gear 28 held upon one end of a longitudinally disposed drive shaft 29 which is slidably rotatable in a bearing provided in a bracket 30. The longitudinal shaft 29 is of sutficient length to extend some distance from the bracket 30 in an opposite direction from the bevel gear 28, and upon the free end of said shaft is a crank handle 31 which when turned will impart rotation to the shaft 29, the second bevel gear 28, and in turn will rotate the bevel gear 27 and the vertical shaft 24.

As illustrated, the sections, or pillars 18 are in abutting arrangement when one of the scenes thereof is set for display, and as the sections cannot then be rotated in unison for. changing the scenery, I provide adjusting devices, as 32 and 33, one at the top and one at the lower ends of the frame 10 whereby the sections may be shifted a suitable distance apart before being rotated. The

adjusting devices 32 ant 33 are similarly formed, and each of said devices consists of a lazy tong 34 of the well known type which is adapted to be lengthened or shortened in the usual manner. Each of the lazy tongs 34 at the intersection of its expansible and contractible members is rigidly held upon the free ends of each series of the studs 20 and 21 of the sections 18. One of the ends of the arms, as 35 and 36, of each of the lazy tongs are pivoted to links 37 and 37 and the opposite ends of each of said links are pivoted to transverse plates 38 and 38 which are rigidly held at the ends of the vertical shaft 24. The plates 38 and 38 may be oval, or rectangular in shape, and are disposed so that when the vertical shaft 24 is rotated by turning the crank handle 31 the links 37 and 37 a Will be moved to guide each pair of the arms 35 and 36 of the lazy tongs in a direction toward each other. The members of the lazy tongs Will thereby be ex panded and the curtain sections 18, excepting the one adjacent to the vertical shaft 24 which is held against movement, will be spread apart a suflicientdistance, as indi cated in dotted lines at 39, Fig. 4, so as to permit said sections to be revolved in the radius of a circle.

For the purpose of revolving the curtain sections 18 in unison to change the scenes fro-m one to another by means of the crank handle 31 and subsequently to the spreading of the sections, upon each of the series of studs 21 of the sections is a rotatable wheel, or pulley 40. The wheels 40 are similarly formed, each having a peripheral groove 41 and communicating spaced notches 41 as is usual with forms of pulleys adapted to be used for guiding chains. Upon the crossbar 17 of the bracket 15 is a suspending bracket 42 which supports a rotatable wheel, or pulley 43, and at a spaced interval from said bracket is a second suspending bracket 44 which also carries a rotatable wheel, or pulley 45. The pulleys 43 and 45 are also of forms to be adapted to guide a chain, and upon the drive shaft 29 is a loosely held pulley 46 which is likewise peripherally grooved for reception of an endless chain, as 47, which is guided thereover, then directed over the pulley 43, and over opposite parts of each of the wheels 40 of the series of studs 21 of the curtain sections 18. The chain 47 is then guided over a pulley 48 rotatably held at the top of the bracket 14 of the frame 10, and said chain is reversely directed toward the bracket 15 and over the pulley 45. Obviously the chain 47 must be of sufficient length to permit of the spreading apart of the sections 18, as heretofore explained, and to take up the slack of the chain and hold it taut when the sections are in close abutting arrangement, I provide a weight, as 49, having a pulley 50, which is held in the loop of the chain, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to permit the chain 47 to be guided for rotating the curtain sections 18 by turning the crank handle 31, at diametrically opposite parts of the pulley 46 of the drive shaft 29 are provided recesses 51 and 52, adapted to receive a stud, or pin projecting from the opposed face of the bevel gear 28. As the drive shaft 29 is slidably held in its bearing, said shaft is longitudinally moved by pulling upon the crank handle 31 so that the stud 53 will be seated in one of the recesses 51 and 52 of the loose pulley 46. The pulley 46 will then be held so as to be rotated when the drive shaft 29 is revolved, and in turn the chain 47 will be guided for revolving the wheels 40 to swing the curtain sections 18 part of a circle subsequently to the shifting of said sections by operating the adjusting devices 32 and 33, as above described.

It is evident that when a series of square sections are employed in-my apparatus, as shown in the drawing, four separate and distinct scenes may be displayed in succession, and as a means serving to hold the sections against reverse movement when rotated a suitable distance, for instance, that of the quadrant of a circle, in one face of each of the wheels of the studs 21 of the sections 18 is an annular recess 54, and the surface of the outer wall of said annular recess is provided with ratchet teeth Abutting against the recessed face of each of the wheels 40 is a disk 56, Figs. 5 and 6, the peripheral edge of which serves as one of the flanges to the peripheral groove of the wheel. WVhile each of the Wheels 40 proper is freely rotatable upon its studs 21, each of the disks 56 is keyed, at 57, so as to be rigidly held upon its respective stud. To the surface of each of the disks interiorly of the annular recesses 5% is pivotally held a pawl 58 the free end of which is in engagement with the ratchet teeth 55, and normally serving to yieldingly retain the engagement of the pawl with the ratchetteeth is a spring 59 which is also secured to the disk 56, thus the sections 18 will be prevented from reverse movement after being shifted in changing from one scene to another.

In the foregoing description, I have embodied the preferred form of my invention, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, therefore I reserve to myself the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an apparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alined sections adapted to be spaced apart, then rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of angular shapes so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenery or the like thereon, means adapted to simultaneously spread the sections apart and conversely move said sections together, and means serving to rotate the sections in unison after being spread apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

2. In an apparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alined sections, each being adapted to be spaced apart, then rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of angular shapes so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenery or the like thereon, an adjusting device adapted to simultaneously spread the sections apart and conversely move said sections together, means adapted to operate the adjusting device, and means serving to rotate the sections in unison after being spread apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

3. In an apparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alined sections adapted to be spaced apart, then rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being angular in shapes so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of adjusting devices adapted to simultaneously spread the sections apart and conversely move said sections together, means adapted to manually operate the adjusting devices simultaneously, and means serving to rotate the sec tions in unison after being spread apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

4. In an apparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alined pillars adapted to be spaced apart, then rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being of angular shapes so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenery or the like thereon, means adapted to simultaneously spread. the pillars apart and conversely move said pillars together, means provided upon the frame and adapted to guide the pillars when being spaced apart, and means serving to rotate the pillars in unison after being spread apart so that the scenery may be changed from one to the other.

In an apparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alined pillars, each being adapted to be spread apart, then rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being of angular shape so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenery or the like thereon, an adjusting device adapted to simultaneously spread the pillars apart and conversely move said pillars together, means adapted to operate the adjusting device, means provided upon the frame and adapted to guide the pillars when being spaced apart, and means serving to rotate the pillars in unison after being spread apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

(3. In anapparatus adapted to serve as a plurality of curtains or the like, the combination with a frame, of a number of alincd pillars adapted to be spaced apart, then rotated and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being angular in shapes so that the corresponding faces thereof form a plurality of distinct surfaces which provide the curtains for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of adjusting devices adapted to simultaneously spread the pillars apart and conversely move said pillars together, means adapted to manually operate the adjusting devices simultaneously, means adapted to guide the pillars when being spaced and means serving to rotate the pillars in unison after being spread apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

7. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated sections vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the sections being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, means provided upon the frame and adapted to guide the sections when moved, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated, means adapted to be operated when the drive shaft is revolved whereby the sections will be shifted apart and conversely moved together, and means adapted to be also operated when the drive shaft is revolved for independently rotating the sections in unison after being spaced apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

8. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated sections vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the sections being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of similar polygonal shapes in crosssection so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the sections, means provided upon the frame and adapted to guide the rollers when the sections are moved, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated, a vertical shaft, means adapted to impart rotation to the vertical shaft when the drive shaft is driven, means adapted to be operated when the vertical shaft is revolved whereby the sections will be shifted apart and conversely moved together, and means adapted to be also operated when the vertical shaft is revolved for independently rotating the sections in unison after being spaced apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

9. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated sections vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the sections being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the sections, two guides, one engaged by the rollers at the top of the sections and the other guide engaged by the rollers at the bottom of the sections whereby the sections may be guided when moved, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated, a vertical shaft, a bevel gear held upon the drive shaft, a bevel gear held upon the vertical shaft and meshing with the bevel gear of the drive shaft, means adapted to be operated when the vertical shaft is revolved whereby the sections will be shifted apart and conversely moved together, and means adapted to be also operated when the vertical shaft is revolved for independently rotating the sections in unison after being spaced apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

1.0. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated sections vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the sections being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said sections being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the sections, two guides, one engaged by the rollers at the top of the sections and the other guide engaged by the rollers at the bottom of the sections whereby the sections may be guided when moved, a plurality of peripherally grooved wheels, one revolubly held at the upper end of each of the sections, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated and slidably guided, a vertical shaft, a bevel gear held upon the drive shaft, a bevel gear held upon the vertical shaft-and meshing with the bevel gear of the drive shaft, two lazy tongs, one connected to each end of each of the sections, two pairs of links, one pair pivotally connected to the corresponding ends of the arms of one of the lazy tongs and the other pair pivotally connected to the corresponding ends of the arms of the second lazy tong and both pairs of said links being pivotally connected to the vertical shaft so as to simultaneously move the members of the lazy tongs to expanded or contracted positions for spreadingthe sections apart and then contracted to conversely move the sections together, a peripherally grooved wheel loosely held upon the drive shaft and having recesses in its face which are opposed to the bevel gear thereof, a stud projecting from the bevel gear of the drive shaft and adapted to be received by one of the recesses of the loose wheel of the drive shaft so that said wheel may be held to be revolved when the drive shaft is rotated, and an endless chain guided over the loose wheel and over each of the grooved wheels of said sections.

11. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated pillars vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the pillars being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the pillars, means provided upon the frame and adapted to guide the rollers when moved, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated, a vertical shaft, means adapted to impart rotation to the vertical shaft when the drive shaft is driven, means adapted to be operated when the vertical shaft is revolved whereby the pillars will be shifted apart and conversely moved together, and means adapted to be also operated when the vertical shaft is revolved for independently rotating the pillars in unison after being spaced apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

12. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated pillars vertically disposed in alinement in the frame, the pillars being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for displaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the sections, two guides, one engaged by the rollers at the top of the pillars and the other guide engaged by the rollers at the bottom of the pillars whereby the pillars may be guided when moved, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated, a vertical shaft, a bevel gear held upon the drive shaft, a bevel gear held upon the vertical shaft and meshing with the bevel gear of the drive shaft, means adapted to be operated when the vertical shaft is revolved whereby the pillars will be shifted apart and conversely moved together, and means adapted to be also operated when the vertical shaft is revolved for independently rotating the pillars in unison after being spaced apart so that the scenes may be changed from one to the other.

13. The combination with a vertically disposed frame, of a plurality of elongated pillars vertically disposed in alinementin the frame, the pillars being adapted to be spread apart, then simultaneously rotated, and subsequently moved so as to be in abutting arrangement, said pillars being of similar polygonal shapes in cross-section so that the corresponding faces thereof will form a plurality of distinct surfaces when in abutting arrangement for dlsplaying separate scenes or the like thereon, a plurality of rollers, one revolubly held at each end of each of the pillars, two guides, one engaged by the rollers at the top of the pillars and the other guide engaged by the rollers at the bottom of the pillars whereby the pillars may be guided when moved, a plurality of peripherally grooved wheels, one revolubly held at the upper end of each of the pillars, a drive shaft adapted to be manually rotated and slidably guided, a vertical shaft, a bevel gear held upon the drive sh aft, a bevel gear held upon the vertical shaft and meshing with the bevel gear of the drive shaft, two lazy tongs, one connected to each end of each of the pillars, two pairs of links, one pair pivotally connected to the corresponding ends of the arms of one of the lazy tongs and the other pair pivotally connected to the corresponding ends of the arms of the second lazy tong and both pairs of said links being pivotally connected to the vertical shaft so as to simultaneously move the members of thedazy tongs to expanded or contracted positions for spreading the pillars apart and then contracted to conversely move the pillars together, a peripherally grooved Wheel loosely held upon the drive shaft and having recesses in its face Which is opposed to the bevel gear thereof, a stud projecting from the bevel gear of the drive shaft and adapted to be received by one of the recesses of the loose Wheel of the drive shaft so that said Wheel may be held to be revolved When the drive shaft is rotated and an endless chain guided over the loose Wheel and over each of the grooved wheels of said pillars.

This specification signed and witnessed this sixth day of December A. D. 1912.

FREDERICK W. HOCHSTETTER. WVitnesses Rom. B. ABBOTT, H. DERMODY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

